Library News & Updates

Minnie Collins Portrait by Hiawatha D. Joins the Library Collection

Sensational artwork adorns the walls of the Lemieux Library and McGoldrick Learning Commons. Much of it dates back hundreds of years (on the sixth floor you can even find something from the BC era!) and was created in places far from Seattle. However, the latest addition titled Minnie is from local Seattle artist Hiawatha D. his second piece installed on campus. The first piece, 10:22AM, memorializes the tragic bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama and can be found in the Chapel of St. Ignatius. 

When you walk into the Library’s third floor from the upper mall, look to your right, and there on the south wall you will find a vibrant portrait of Minnie Collins––Minnie is a Seattle-based author, educator, poet, and inspiration. Minnie’s words and character continue to shape the lives of so many and they will continue to do so as her work is preserved in print and in the work of her students. One such student from many years ago is Dr. Quinton Morris who is a professor here on campus in addition to being a concert violinist, chamber musician, entrepreneur, and filmmaker. 

On May 22nd, 2023, the Library hosted the unveiling of this masterpiece. An outstanding group of attendees gathered around as Minnie Collins recited a poem in dedication to the day titled Memory Temples (poem included below). The group was moved by a powerful violin performance by Dr. Morris and thoughtful words by administration, faculty, students, and of course the artist himself.  

As it has been said before, words cannot begin to describe the art fully, so please come by the Library to see it for yourself. The work is beautiful, and its potential impact on Library patrons is awesome.  

Memory Temples 

Of our ways of thinking, believing, doing 

Constantly reshaped, reconfigured 

By wind, water, fire, glaciers 

By technology, intelligence, humane or artificial 

Teaching us to look back, learn from,  

Yet soar like red tailed hawks against currents, spinning, spiraling 

Ever deconstructing veiled delusions, deceptions, and misconceptions 

Becoming open minded, less open mouthing  

Becoming open hearted, not faint hearted 

Open to change, not more of the same old, same old 

Gasping, then absorbing auroras of light 

To “Be brave enough to step out of the shade and be a light,” says Amanda Gorman 

Lights of selfless service, encouragement, respect, peace 

To be cords of many strands, not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes).  

To be polyphonic pan-cultural-intergenerational alliances 

Connected to our Mother Earth’s Memory Temples. 

Minnie A. Collins 

©May 22, 2023  

To see more work by Hiawatha D. and, in particular, other pieces from the Iconic Black Women series which Minnie is part of, visit the WOW Gallery. 

For more about the event, Hiawatha D., and Minnie Collins read The Newsroom article by Kiyomi Kishaba titled Honoring the Legacy of Poet and Writer Minnie Collins: https://www.seattleu.edu/newsroom/stories/2023/honoring-the-legacy-of-poet-and-writer-minnie-collins.html